Turnover in the Italian ceramic and brick industry increased in 2024
Confindustria Ceramica, the association of Italian ceramics producers, presented statistical surveys for the year 2024 for companies active in the production of tiles and slabs, sanitary ceramics, porcelain and tableware, refractory materials, technical ceramics and bricks on 25. June 2025. There are a total of 248 companies in Italy, employing 26,211 direct employees and with a turnover of more than 7.5 billion euros. The internationalisation of production in Europe and North America, by companies controlled by Italian ceramics, is close to one billion euros in turnover.
Ceramic tiles produced in Italy
There are 122 companies in Italy that produced 369.8 million square metres (minus 1.1 percent) and employed 18,009 direct workers in 2024. Total sales amounted to 378.3 million square metres (plus 2.5 percent), with Italy accounting for over 84.7 million square metres (plus 0.4 percent) and exports for 293.5 million square metres (plus 3.1 percent). The total turnover of Italian tile companies is close to 6.1 billion euros (minus 1.8 percent), of which 5 billion euros comes from exports (minus 1.4 percent; 82 percent share of turnover) and 1.1 billion euros from sales in Italy. Investments are at 382 million euros, down 19.4 percent, or 6.3 percent of turnover.
Sanitary Ceramics
There are 31 industrial companies producing sanitary ceramics in Italy, of which 28 are located in the district of Civita Castellana (Viterbo). Total employment is about 2,700 direct employees, production is 3.2 million pieces. Turnover is 414 million euros, with sales in the various foreign markets of about 165 million euros (40 percent of the total).
The refractory materials industry
The 30 companies active in the production of refractory materials employ 1,546 people, with a production of 270,500 tonnes. The total turnover is slightly up on last year (348 million Euro; plus 1 percent) and derives from domestic sales of about 160 million euros, with exports exceeding 188 million.
The brick sector
The sector of Italian brick manufacturers consists of 57 companies, employing 3,000 people: in 2024 the turnover was 700 million euros, mainly realised on the Italian market. The total production amounts to 4.1 million tonnes.
Ceramic tableware
The 8 industrial companies employ 668 people, with a production of 9,600 tonnes and finished product sales of 9,500 tonnes. Domestic market activity accounts for 75 percent of total sales. The 2024 turnover is 57.8 million euros (plus 3 percent), 63 percent in Italy.
Statement by Confindustria Ceramica President Augusto Ciarrocchi: ‘Thanks to the huge investments made over time, the Italian ceramic industry has reached the lowest emission levels in the world and no further technological leap forward is foreseeable today. The level of Emissions Trading System quotas and its application mechanism make the quotas paid a heavy ‘production tax’ that, rising from 10 euros in 2018 to the current 75, is worth 120 million euros a year in extra costs. Values that drain precious resources from companies’ investments in efficiency and innovation. In order to address this situation, we ask to be included among the sectors eligible for compensation of indirect costs and to suspend the reduction of free allowances planned from 2026, pending the availability of a real technological alternative.’
